Is TurboTax or H&R Block better?

TurboTax is better for complex returns, self-employment, and investment income thanks to its superior guidance and accuracy checks. H&R Block is better for budget-conscious filers and those who want in-person support — it offers similar features at lower prices and has 12,000+ retail offices for face-to-face help.

Which is cheaper, TurboTax or H&R Block?

H&R Block is cheaper at every tier. H&R Block Free covers more forms than TurboTax Free, and paid tiers cost $20-30 less. For example, H&R Block Deluxe costs $55 vs TurboTax Deluxe at $69. State filing is $39-49 with H&R Block vs $49-64 with TurboTax.

Is TurboTax more accurate than H&R Block?

Both guarantee accuracy and will reimburse penalties caused by calculation errors. TurboTax's interview-style questions tend to catch more deductions for complex situations, but H&R Block's accuracy guarantee is equally strong. For straightforward returns, accuracy is essentially identical.

Can I switch from TurboTax to H&R Block?

Yes. H&R Block can import your prior-year return from TurboTax using a PDF upload or by importing directly from your TurboTax account. Your prior-year data transfers over so you don't have to re-enter personal information.

TurboTax vs H&R Block: Complete Tax Software Comparison (2026)

TurboTax and H&R Block are the two most popular tax preparation options in America, serving over 60 million combined filers each year. Both offer online DIY software, professional tax prep, and accuracy guarantees — but they differ significantly on price, features, and how they handle complex tax situations. Here’s the full comparison for the 2026 tax season (filing 2025 returns).

TurboTax vs H&R Block: Quick Comparison

Feature	TurboTax	H&R Block
Free version	Simple returns only (W-2, standard deduction)	More forms covered (student loans, education credits, unemployment)
Deluxe price	$69 + $59/state	$55 + $49/state
Premium price	$129 + $59/state	$85 + $49/state
Self-employed price	$129 + $59/state	$115 + $49/state
In-person offices	None (Intuit has no retail locations)	12,000+ offices nationwide
Live expert add-on	TurboTax Live ($99-219 extra)	Tax Pro Review ($55-195 extra)
Full-service (they do it)	TurboTax Full Service ($219-409)	In-office or virtual ($89-259)
Accuracy guarantee	✅ Pays penalties + interest	✅ Pays penalties + interest
Audit support	Extra cost (MAX Defend)	Free Worry-Free Audit Support (paid tiers)
Import W-2s	1 million+ employers	1 million+ employers
Import investments	Most brokerages	Most brokerages
Mobile app	✅ Full filing capability	✅ Full filing capability
Maximum refund guarantee	✅	✅

Pricing Comparison

Price is where H&R Block consistently wins. Here’s the 2026 breakdown:

Online DIY Software

Tier	TurboTax	H&R Block	Savings with H&R Block
Free	$0 (federal + state)	$0 (federal + state)	—
Deluxe	$69 + $59/state	$55 + $49/state	$24
Premier/Premium	$129 + $59/state	$85 + $49/state	$54
Self-Employed	$129 + $59/state	$115 + $49/state	$24

With Live Expert Help

Tier	TurboTax Live	H&R Block Tax Pro Review
Basic	$99	$55
Deluxe	$169	$115
Premier/Premium	$219	$155
Self-Employed	$219	$195

Full-Service (They Prepare Your Return)

Tier	TurboTax Full Service	H&R Block In-Office
Simple	$219	$89+
Deluxe	$309	$149+
Premier/Premium	$359	$199+
Self-Employed	$409	$259+

Winner: H&R Block — consistently $20-150 cheaper across every tier and service level.

Free Version Comparison

Both companies offer free tax filing, but H&R Block’s free tier covers more situations:

What’s Covered	TurboTax Free	H&R Block Free
W-2 income	✅	✅
Standard deduction	✅	✅
Earned Income Credit	✅	✅
Child Tax Credit	✅	✅
Student loan interest (1098-E)	❌ (upgrade to Deluxe)	✅
Education credits (1098-T)	❌ (upgrade to Deluxe)	✅
Unemployment income (1099-G)	❌	✅
HSA contributions (8889)	❌	✅
Retirement income (1099-R)	❌	✅
Schedule 1	❌	✅
Schedule 3	❌	✅
State return included	✅ (1 state)	✅ (1 state)

Winner: H&R Block — the free version covers student loan interest, retirement income, unemployment, HSA deductions, and education credits that TurboTax requires a paid upgrade for.

Ease of Use

TurboTax

TurboTax pioneered the interview-style approach to tax preparation. Instead of showing you forms, it asks plain-language questions and fills in the forms behind the scenes.

Strengths:

Cleanest, most intuitive interface in tax software
Excellent step-by-step guidance for complex situations
Smart suggestions that proactively find deductions
“What does this mean?” explanations throughout
Progress tracker shows exactly where you are

Weaknesses:

Constant upselling to higher tiers during filing
Prompts to add TurboTax Live at multiple points
Some question flows are longer than necessary

H&R Block

H&R Block uses a similar interview approach that has improved significantly in recent years. It’s not quite as polished as TurboTax but gets the job done efficiently.

Strengths:

Clean interface with clear navigation
Tax Pro Review lets an expert check your work at lower cost
Less aggressive upselling than TurboTax
Option to switch to in-person mid-process
Supports more forms in free tier

Weaknesses:

Interface slightly less intuitive for complex scenarios
Some sections feel dense with questions
Mobile experience not quite as smooth as TurboTax

Winner: TurboTax — the user experience is smoother, especially for first-time filers and complex situations. But the gap has narrowed.

Accuracy and Deduction Finding

Factor	TurboTax	H&R Block
Accuracy guarantee	✅ Pays penalties + interest	✅ Pays penalties + interest
Maximum refund guarantee	✅	✅
Error checking	Real-time + final review	Real-time + final review
Deduction finder	Excellent (guides through every possibility)	Good (covers all standard deductions)
Investment handling	Excellent (auto-import, wash sale tracking)	Good (auto-import, basic tracking)
Self-employment deductions	Excellent (industry-specific prompts)	Good (comprehensive but less tailored)
Audit risk assessment	Audit Risk Meter	Audit Risk Assessment

Winner: TurboTax — the deduction-finding interview is more thorough, particularly for self-employment and investment income. Both guarantee accuracy, but TurboTax’s proactive suggestions tend to find more deductions.

Investment and Crypto Tax Handling

For investors and crypto traders, the tax software needs to handle capital gains, dividends, and complex transactions:

Feature	TurboTax Premier	H&R Block Premium
Price	$129 + $59/state	$85 + $49/state
Import from brokerages	3,500+ institutions	2,500+ institutions
Crypto import	✅ (CoinTracker integration)	✅ (manual or CSV)
Wash sale detection	✅ Automatic	✅ Automatic
Schedule D auto-fill	✅	✅
RSU/ESPP handling	✅ Excellent	✅ Good
K-1 income	✅	✅
Rental property (Schedule E)	✅	✅
Crypto staking income	✅	✅

Winner: TurboTax Premier — better brokerage import coverage, smoother crypto integration, and superior handling of RSUs and ESPPs. But H&R Block costs $54 less for very similar functionality.

Self-Employment Features

Feature	TurboTax Self-Employed	H&R Block Self-Employed
Price	$129 + $59/state	$115 + $49/state
Schedule C	✅	✅
Schedule SE	✅	✅
Expense categorization	Auto-categorize via bank import	Manual categorization
Quarterly tax estimates	✅ Generates 1040-ES	✅ Generates 1040-ES
Vehicle expenses	✅ Mileage tracker in app	✅ Standard/actual method
Home office deduction	✅ Guided calculation	✅ Guided calculation
Industry-specific deductions	✅ Tailored by profession	General list
1099-NEC / 1099-K	✅	✅
Depreciation (Form 4562)	✅	✅

Winner: TurboTax — the industry-specific deduction prompts and expense categorization tools are more refined. Worth the $24 premium for self-employed filers who want to maximize deductions.

In-Person Support

This is H&R Block’s biggest differentiator:

Factor	TurboTax	H&R Block
Retail offices	0	12,000+ nationwide
In-person filing	Not available	Full-service at any office
Walk-in availability	N/A	Yes (appointments recommended)
Switch mid-process	N/A	Start online, finish in-office
Live expert (virtual)	✅ CPA/EA via video	✅ Tax pro via video or chat
Expert review of DIY return	$99-219 extra	$55-195 extra
Year-round access	Limited	Offices open year-round

Winner: H&R Block — if you want face-to-face help, there’s no comparison. 12,000+ locations vs none. H&R Block also lets you start your return online and seamlessly switch to in-person if you get stuck.

Audit Support

Feature	TurboTax	H&R Block
Basic audit support	✅ Free (guidance only)	✅ Free (Worry-Free Audit Support on paid tiers)
Full audit representation	MAX Defend & Restore ($49+)	Peace of Mind (included in some office packages)
Enrolled Agent representation	With MAX only	With paid representation add-on
IRS notice help	Guidance on how to respond	Will review and help you respond
Audit risk indicator	✅	✅

Winner: H&R Block — paid versions include audit support automatically. TurboTax charges extra for MAX Defend.

Mobile Apps

Feature	TurboTax App	H&R Block App
iOS rating	4.7/5	4.6/5
Android rating	4.3/5	4.2/5
Full filing on mobile	✅	✅
W-2 photo capture	✅	✅
Document upload	✅	✅
Refund tracker	✅	✅
Snap & Auto-fill	✅	✅

Winner: Tie — both apps are well-rated and support full filing from your phone.

Who Should Choose TurboTax?

✅ You have complex investments (RSUs, ESPPs, extensive crypto trading)
✅ You’re self-employed and want industry-specific deduction prompts
✅ You value the smoothest, most intuitive interface
✅ You want the most thorough deduction-finding interview
✅ You’ve used TurboTax before and your data carries forward
✅ You don’t mind paying a premium for a more polished experience

Who Should Choose H&R Block?

✅ You want to save $20-150 compared to TurboTax
✅ You want in-person support at 12,000+ offices
✅ You have a straightforward return (W-2, standard deduction, student loans)
✅ You want the better free version with more forms covered
✅ You want audit support included without paying extra
✅ You want to start online and finish in-person if needed

Best Strategy: Match Software to Your Complexity

Your Situation	Best Choice	Why
Simple W-2 return	H&R Block Free	Covers more forms free
Itemized deductions only	H&R Block Deluxe	Same quality, $24 cheaper
Investments + crypto	TurboTax Premier	Better import tools and guidance
Self-employed	TurboTax Self-Employed	Industry-specific deduction prompts
Want expert review	H&R Block Tax Pro Review	Much cheaper expert review
Want someone to do it all	H&R Block In-Office	Lower cost, face-to-face interaction
Filing 2+ state returns	H&R Block	$10-15 cheaper per state return

Bottom Line

Category	Winner
Price	H&R Block (cheaper at every tier)
Free version	H&R Block (covers more forms)
Ease of use	TurboTax (smoother interface)
Deduction finding	TurboTax (more thorough prompts)
Investment handling	TurboTax (better brokerage imports, crypto)
Self-employment	TurboTax (industry-specific guidance)
In-person support	H&R Block (12,000+ offices)
Audit support	H&R Block (included in paid tiers)
Mobile app	Tie
Best for simple returns	H&R Block
Best for complex returns	TurboTax

H&R Block is the better value for most filers — it’s cheaper at every tier, covers more in the free version, includes audit support, and offers in-person help at 12,000+ locations. TurboTax is worth the premium if you have complex investments, are self-employed, or want the most polished tax filing experience. For simple returns, save your money and use H&R Block Free or FreeTaxUSA.